Closure for containers, and more particularly for jars, bottles cans and the like

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a closure for containers, and more particularly for jars, bottles, can and the like. The closure includes a seal pressing against the inner wall of the container, in which the sealing pressure may be quickly and reliably produced and relieved, thereby making possible a quick operation of the closure.

3,750,822 Aug. 7, 1973 Moeller..........................

France.......

8/1952 Great Britain Austria ABSTRACT g pressure may be 3 Claims, 13Drawing Figures 6 C n a r F 4 5 9 l 6 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSPrimary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-Markva & Smith The inventionprovides a closure for containers, and more particularly for jars,bottles, can and the like. The closure includes a seal pressing againstthe inner wall of the container, in which the sealin quickly andreliably produced and relieved, there making possible a quick operationof the closure.

0 United States Patent 1 Dubach 1 CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS, AND MOREPARTICULARLY FOR JARS, BOTTLES CANS AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: WernerDubach, CH 8484 Weisslingen, Switzerland [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1971 [21]Appl. No.: 170,540

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 13, 1970Switzerland....................... 12177/70 [52] 0.8. CI. 215/52 [51]int. 865d 39/12 [58] Field of Search.......................... 215/52,53, 54; 220/245; 217/78, 108, 109

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,416,278 5/1922 215/54 fE. v

, \r v a ,I 1 III 111.1111I.1 I

PATENTED M19 71975 SHEEI 1 (IF 5 FFFF l lA/FRAEK a/40H INVENTOR md-mimzzATTORNEY PATENIEDIUR 1w 3.750.822

Vb/ML'R D LIB 16d INVENTOR BY M+M I ATTORNEY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS, ANDMORE PARTICULARLY FOR JARS, BOTTLES CANS AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In known closures, e.g., for jars and bottles, with insulatingjacket, the sealing pressure is produced on the seal by means of ascrew. For opening and closing the closure, both hands are usuallyneeded, because otherwise the base portion, having the main thread, isalso rotated relative to the threaded stud serving as operating member.This necessitates a frequent change of the grip for pouring and foroperating the closure. For producing and relieving the sealing pressure,a number of rotating movements are required so that the closing stud istaken off and refitted with partially relieved seal for the sake ofsimplicity; this strains the seal or causes it to fall apart when it isexcessively undone. In addition, excessive tightening of the screw cancause the glass neck to burst.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Various forms ofthe invention are shown in the drawings, in which FIG. I is an axialcross-section of a first embodiment of a closure under sealing pressurefor a narrow neck vessel,

FIG. 2 is an axial cross-section of a second embodiment,

FIG. 3 shows a part of the closure of FIG. 2 in axia eross-section,

FIG. 4 is an axial cross-section of a third embodiment with the relievedsealing pressure,

FIG. 5 is a modification of a detail in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an axial cross-section of a fourth embodiment for wide neckvessels and cans,

FIG. 7 is a cross-section along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an axial cross-section through a fifth embodiment for wideneck containers, such as cans,

FIG. 9 is an axial cross-section of a modification of FIG. 2,

FIG. 10 is an axial cross-section of a further modification of FIG. 2,

FIGS. II and 12 are axial cross-sections of two further embodiments ofthe closure according to the invention,

FIG. I3 is an axial cross-section of an embodiment having a ball pentype operating mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS The closure shown in FIG. 1comprises a gripping part 1, a cover 2 connected therewith, resting withits periphery 2' on the edge of the neck 3' of a Thermos flask 3, atightening plate 4, and a rubber sealing ring 5 resting on one sideagainst the cover 2, and on the other side against the tightening plate4. In the relieved state, the sealing ring 5 has a hollow cylindricalshape, flush with the circumference of the cover 2, and thecircumference of the tightening plate 4, and engages by means ofreinforced internal heads 5' into corresponding peripheralgrooves of thecover 2 and the tightening plate 4. The centre part of the sealing ring5 forms under the pressure of the tightening plate 4 an outwardlybulging annular roll 5 produced by the action of the tension spring 10in the direction of the arrows to provide a locking action. Parts I, 2,4 made preferably of plastic, have axial bores 6 through which passes apush-pull rod 7 of plastic. The inner end of the rod 7 is connected by ascrew 8 for tensile stress with the tightening plate 4, whilst the outerend of the rod 7 has a knob 9 against which rests a compression spring10 mounted in an expanded portion 6 of the bore. The annular roll 5" ofthe sealing ring 5 is in contact with the inner shoulder 3" of theThermos flask 3, and provides an axial safety against the withdrawal ofthe closure pm.

By depressing the head 9 of the rod 7 against the action of thecompressions spring Ill), the sealing ring 5 assumes its cylindricalshape by stretching the roll 5", and is flush with the cover 2 and thetightening plate 4, so that the closure pin may be withdrawn by means ofthe grip portion 1 from the bottle without offering resistance. When thepressure on the head 9 is relieved, the sealing ring 5 is deformed underthe action of the spring 10 back into its sealing shape inwhich it formsthe roll 5".

In the second embodiment of the closure, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a coverportion 12, provided with the gripping element 11, rests on the edge ofthe neck 13' of a Thermos flask 13. A push-pull rod 17, guided in aguide 16 of the cover portion 12 forms an integral piece with thetightening plate 14. Reference numeral 15 indicates a sealing ring ofrubber, resting on one side against the cover portion 12 and on theother side against the tightening plate 14. A head 19 located at theouter end of the push-pull rod 17 and having an adjusting ring 21,serves to support a compression spring 20 located in an expanded portionE6 of the bore. The pressure of the tightening plate 14 forms a sealingroll 15" making sealing contact with the inner shoulder 13" and servingto secure the closing pin against withdrawal.

By exerting a pressure on the head 19, the sealing ring 15 stretches itsroll 15" thereby facilitating the easy extraction of the closing pin. Alocking pin 22 provided on the adjusting ring 21, rests on a helicallyrising inner shoulder 23 of the grip portion 11, having at the lowestpoint a blind bore 23' and, offset relative thereto at angles of ratchetindentations 23". In the position shown in FIG. 2, the locking pin 22 isexactly above the blind bore 23, so that pressure on the head 19 makesit possible to push in the rod 17, thereby stretching the roll 15" ofthe sealing ring 15 and enabling the closure to be easily withdrawn. Byrotating the adjusting ring 21 to the left, the locking pin 22 slides onthe rising shoulder 23, tightening the rod 17 further in the directionof action of the compression spring, and engages into one of the ratchetindentations 23", thereby fixing the tightening position of the sealingring l5 and securing the closure to a variable internal pressure of theThermos flask.

In a modification of this closure, according to FIG. 2 the adjustingring 21 may be provided with a cap 21' which facilitates the rotation ofthe adjusting ring 21 for producing the adjustable higher tighteningpressure of the sealing ring 15.

The third embodiment of the closure according to FIG. 4 shows theposition of the sealing element with depressed head 19 in which thelocking pin 22 engages into the blind bore 23 of the inner shoulder 23,and the sealing ring 15 assumes a stretched cylindrical shape withoutannular bulge.

FIG. 5 shows in a modification to FIG. 4 that the seal may also beconstructed as a rubber bellows 25 connected by its base through a screwconnection 24 with the lower end of the push-pull rod 17, whilst theedge roll 25" engages, as in FIG. 4, into an annular groove of the coverpart 12, and rests thereagainst. Also here a bulging annular ring isformed, when the rubber bellows 25 is axially compressed.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is particularly suitable for largevessels, either with round or with square openings. Here, a sealing ringof rubber 26 is mounted in an annular groove of a closing cover 27, andtightening plate 28, formed by two conical surfaces 27', 28'. Theclosing cover 27 has a handle 29 which carries a knob 31 located in arecess 32 of the handle 29 and adapted to be depressed against theaction of a spring 30. The knob 31 is connected to the plate 28 by twoguide pins 34 passing through the handle 29 and the cover 27 in bores33. The pressure of the spring 30 pulls the tightening plate 28 towardsthe cover 27 and causes thereby the annular groove to narrow, and thesealing ring 26 to be pushed outwardly and to expand. When the knob 31is depressed the sealing ring 26 drops back into the annular groove andbecomes smaller, so that the cover may be easily fitted to the vessel orcan 35, or lifted therefrom. When handle and knob are released afterfitting the cover to the vessel 35, the sealing ring 26 automaticallyexpands under the action of the spring 30 and rests against the innerwall of the container, forming a tight seal. Instead of the bowed spring30 it is also possible to fit a helical spring 30.

The fifth embodiment according to FIG. 8 comprises two sealing rings 26,26' one above the other, of which the sealing ring 26 is between twoconical surfaces 27' and 28', and the sealing ring 26' between twoconical surfaces 28 and 36 of the tightening plate 28, and a furthertightening plate 36. The closing cover 27 has two diametrically oppositehandles 29. The tightening plate 36 carries a centre guide pin 34,passing through a bore 33 in the tightening plate 28 and the cover 27,and having a head 34' on its projecting top end. The guide pin 34 ispressed towards the top by a spring 30 and thereby urges the tighteningplates- 36 and 28 against the cover part 27. Springs 30' are arrangedbetween the cover plates 36 and 28, and the cover 27, whereby thepressure of the springs 30 is distributed uniformly amongst thetightening plates 36 and 28. Release of the pressure acting on thesealing rings 26, 26' is achieved by depressing a lever 37, acting onthe guide pin 34, and mounted rotatably on a pivot 38 of a bearing lug39 of the cover part 27.

By depressing the lever 37, the tightening pressure acting on the coverpart 27 and the plates 28 and 36 is relieved, so that the spaces betweenthe cover part 27 and the tightening plates 28, 36 are increased,permitting the sealing rings 26, 26' to sink thereinto and to becomesmaller. Hence, when the lever 37 is depressed the closing cover can befitted or removed without friction. When the lever 37 is released, thecover part 27 and the tightening plates 28 and 36 are again affected byspring pressure and the sealing rings 26, 26' are pressed against theinner wall of the container 35 forming a tight seal.

According to a further modification of the closure of FIG. 2, shown inFIG. 9, the guide rod 17 has at its lower end a spherical element 40which engages into a dish-shaped receiving part 41 of the tighteningplate 14, forming therewith a snap coupling. This coupling makes itpossible to rotate the rod 17 in any direction relative to thetightening plate 40. The latter is connected with the cover part 12 bythe sealing ring 15. The guide rod 17 guided in a centre bore 16 of thecover part 12 is pulled towards the top by a compression spring 20mounted in an expanded part 16 of the bore, and resting against the headportion 19, thereby causing the sealing ring 15 to be deformed in theshape of a bulge 15', forming a closure against the inner shoulder 13"of the bottle 13, and a tight seal, securing the closure againstwithdrawal. The head 19 surrounds the grip part 11 after the manner of acap. A locking pin 22 arranged inside the head portion 19 rests on ahelically rising or declining inner shoulder 23 of the grip part 11. Theinner shoulder 23 connects a blind bore 23' with a ratchet indentation23", offset relative thereto through In the position shown in FIG. 9,the locking pin 22 is above the blind bore 23', so that the head portion19 of the push rod 17 may be introduced against the action of thecompression spring 20, thereby causing the bulge 15" to be relieved, andthe closure to be removed without friction. By rotating the head portion19 towards the left out of the position of FIG. 9, the locking pin 22slides up on the helical inner shoulder 23, causing a further expansionof the bulge 15" until the locking pin 22 finally engages into theratchet indentation 23". In this position, the head portion 19 issecured against depression and the bottle is ready for transportation.

The bottle shown in FIG. 10 is a simplification of the bottle accordingto FIG. 9. Here, the head portion 19 of the push rod 17 is surrounded bythe beaker-shaped upper end 11' of the grip part 11. The head end 19 issecured against accidental depression because in the closing position ofthe closure according to FIG. 10, the upper edge of the beaker 11' issubstantially in the same plane as the upper edge of the head part 19.The depression of the head part 19 is, therefore, possible only with onefinger of the hand.

In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the closure may be locked in the openposition, whilst the closed position is secured by the pressure of thespring 20. The housing-shaped cover 12, 12' consists of two parts 12 and12', connected by a snap joint and encloses a cylindrical chamber 43which narrows towards the top byan inwardly projecting annular shoulder44. The connecting rod 17 is guided in a centre guide 16 of the lowercover part 12' and carries at the bottom a tightening plate 14. Thesealing ring 15 rests on the top against a peripheral shoulder 45 of thecover part 12' and at the bottom against a peripheral shoulder 46 of thetightening plate 14. The upper end of the pull rod 17 carries a plate 47against which rests a compression spring 20 seated on the lower coverpart 12. A locking plate 48 rests on the plate 47 of the push rod 17 andhas a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the annularshoulder 44. The lock plate 48 carries on the top a tapering grippingportion 49, and at the bottom a circumferential bulge 50. In theeccentric position shown the locking plate 48 rests on the annularshoulder 44 and prevents thereby the escape towards the top of the guiderod 17 biassed by the tensioned spring 20. In this locking position, thesealing ring is in the cylindrical extended position. By shifting thelocking plate 48 into its centre position, it can enter into the openingof the annular shoulder 44, thereby permitting the guide rod 17 to carryout the closing movement towards the top until the circumferential bulge50 rests on the annular shoulder 44. At the end of the closing movement,the sealing ring 15 has reached its bulging expanded position as shownby the dash-dot line. The closure may be opened by pushing in thelocking plate 48 from the dash-dot position and towards the side intothe eccentric position according to FIG. 11. The embodiment of FIG. 12is a modification of FIG. 11 and differs therefrom only in that theguide rod consists of a fixed part 17 and a movable connecting link 17',the latter being connected at its upper end to the locking plate 48 andat its lower end to the fixed guide member 17 by ball joints 51 and 52respectively. In view of the articulated connection of the fixed guidepart 17 through the connecting link 17' with the locking plate 48, thedesired vertical and horizontal movements of the locking plate 48 arepossible for operating the closure.

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment, in which the vertical displacement of theguide rod for operating the sealing ring 15 by actuating a push button53 is effected by a control mechanism known in the art such as is usedin ball pens for retracting and pushing forward the writing cartridge.

The cover consisting of two parts l2, 12 connected by a snap joint 42contains the control mechanism of a known ball pen for moving thewriting cartridge, and consisting of the parts 12, 53, 54. Referencenumeral 15 indicates the sealing ring, resting on one side against theunderpart 12' of the cover, and on the other side against the tighteningplate 14. The guide rod 17 firmly connected to the tightening plate 14is biassed through the control mechanism by the compression spring 12,and passes through a centre bore 16 in the lower part of the cover. Bydepressing the push button 53 from the position in FIG. 13 the controlmechanism is operated and the push button 53 moves into the dash-dotposition leading to the expansion of the sealing ring 15. The depressionof the push button 53 from the dash-dot position, reverses the controlmechanism, causing the push button 53 and the sealing ring 15 to returninto the position shown in FIG. 13.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to nowpreferred examples of the invention it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art after understanding the invention, that variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. and it is intended,

therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is 1. A closure for containers comprising a. a cover memberhaving a bore therein,

b. a tensioning plate spaced from said cover member,

c. a guide rod secured to said tensioning plate and extending throughthe bore in said cover member, said guide rod being axially slidablethrough the bore in said cover member for moving and guiding saidtensioning plate towards and away from said cover member,

d. an elongated annular cylindrical elastic sealing member extending inan axial direction between said cover member contacting one end of saidsealing member and tensioning plate contacting the opposite end of saidsealing member, said sealing member in an uncompressed, relaxedcondition having an external uniform diameter and the cross sectionalthickness of the elastic material of said cylindrical sealing memberbeing thinner circumferentially at a point intermediate its ends thanthe cross-sectional thickness at the opposite ends thereof, and theinterior cylindrical surface of said sealing member being spaced fromsaid guide rod, and

e. spring means extending between said cover member and guide rodbiasing said cover member and tensioning plate for movement towards eachother to compress said cylindrical elastic sealing member in an axialdirection to expand in a radial direction the portion of saidcylindrical member having a thinner cross-section intermediate the endsthereof to seal the container,

. said guide rod being adapted for manual movement in the oppositedirection against the bias of said spring means to move said covermember and tensioning plate away from each other to release thecompression of said sealing member to contract said portion of saidsealing member.

2. A closure as defined in claim 1 further comprising means foradjusting and maintaining the degree of compression applied to saidelastic sealing member by said cover member and tensioning plate.

3. A closure as defined in claim I further comprising manually operablemeans for locking said sealing member in both closed and open positions.

I II!

1. A closure for containers comprising a. a cover member having a boretherein, b. a tensioning plate spaced from said cover member, c. a guiderod secured to said tensioning plate and extending through the bore insaid cover member, said guide rod being axially slidable through thebore in said cover member for moving and guiding said tensioning platetowards and away from said cover member, d. an elongated annularcylindrical elastic sealing member extending in an axial directionbetween said cover member contacting one end of said sealing member andtensioning plate contacting the opposite end of said sealing member,said sealing member in an uncompressed, relaxed condition having anexternal uniform diameter and the cross-sectional thickness of theelastic material of said cylindrical sealing member being thinnercircumferentially at a point intermediate its ends than thecross-sectional thickness at the opposite ends thereof, and the interiorcylindrical surface of said sealing member being spaced from said guiderod, and e. spring means extending between said cover member and guiderod biasing said cover member and tensioning plate for movement towardseach other to compress said cylindrical elastic sealing member in anaxial direction to expand in a radial direction the portion of saidcylindrical member having a thinner crosssection intermediate the endsthereof to seal the container, f. said guide rod being adapted formanual movement in the opposite direction against the bias of saidspring means to move said cover member and tensioning plate away fromeach other to release the compression of said sealing member to contractsaid portion of said sealing member.
 2. A closure as defined in claim 1further comprising means for adjusting and maintaining the degree ofcompression applied to said elastic sealing member by said cover memberand tensioning plate.
 3. A closure as defined in claim 1 furthercomprising manually operable means for locking said sealing member inboth closed and open positions.